How To Clean Your Fishing Reel

  For many anglers cleaning their fishing reel seems like to daunting a task to undertake, but in this article I'm going to provide you with simple direction for accomplishing the task. Cleaning your spinning reel isn't rocket science, and if you do it once a year, it will add years to the life of your reel. For example, I clean my spinning reels once a year and I've had some of them for over ten years, and they still perform like they were new!

How to clean your fishing reel is really quite simple if you follow the simple directions in this article. The first thing we need to do is discuss the items that you'll need to accomplish this task quickly and easily. I'm going to simply list the items that are needed here, then outline exactly how to clean your spinning reel. You will need the following items: a clean towel, a small screw driver (usually Phillips head), a small bottle of reel grease (or WD-40), 5 or 6 Q-tips, and some paper towels.

That's it. Those are the simple items that you need to clean your spinning reel. Now down to the business of how to clean your spinning reel, and add years to it's life. Below you will find the steps involved in accomplishing this fairly simple task.

Begin by removing the spinning reel from it's rod and using a couple of paper towels to wipe it off completely. We want to remove any dust, dirt, sand, or grime that might be on the outside of the spinning reel.
Now remove the handle of the spinning reel. The handle normally is removed in one of 2 ways. Either by removing/loosening a screw of some sort in the handle itself or by simply holding the reel and turning the handle backwards. This will remove the handle. Once removed, set the handle onto the clean towel.
Now make sure that the reel is laying with the screws that hold it together exposed. Now simply remove these screws (usually from 3-5) and place them next to the handle. This will expose a small plate which can now be removed. Remove the plate and set it next to the screws.
At this point the inside of the spinning reel should be exposed. Use a clean Q-tip to remove any visible debris on the inside of the reel. Now use your reel grease and put a couple of drops of grease on every moving gear that you see. If you're using WD-40 simply squirt a little on every gear you can see.
Now simply reverse the process. Put the plate back into place and screw in the screws. Before re-installing the handle, add some grease/WD-40 to it as well. Now re-install the handle.

You have successfully cleaned your fishing reel, and will never have to wonder how to clean your spinning reel again. Now you know. It truly is a simple process and will add years to the life of your reel. If for some reason your spinning reel still won't perform properly, you can find a affordable replacement here. If you found this tip helpful, you can get tips just like it twice a month for FREE.

Trevor Kugler
Co-founder of JRWfishing.com
Trevor has more than 20 years of fishing experience, 15 years of business experience and currently raises his 3-year old daughter in the heart of trout fishing country......Montana.